


the mix up

by reylonly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Twins, Barista Rey, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, F/M, Jealousy, Kylo Ren & Ben Solo are Twins, Love Triangles, Mistaken Identity, Pining, Plot Advancing Porn, Solo Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-07-19 04:23:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19967992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reylonly/pseuds/reylonly
Summary: Rey’s had a crush on her favorite customer, Ben, for a while now. After six months of unrequited pining, she’s given up all hope of him ever noticing her. But when Rey loses a bet, her friend Rose makes her ask him out anyway.Little does Rey know that Ben’s identical twin brother Kylo has just moved back to town, and he’s got a thing for the cute barista who boldly wrote her phone number on the side of his coffee cup.





	1. Chapter 1

“No, we don’t blend any of our drinks. I can make you anything over ice, but, as the boss says, we don’t serve glorified milkshakes.”

Rey laughs, overhearing the tail end of Rose’s conversation as she pours milk into a pitcher. Usually, the baristas at Jakku Java give more sanitized answers, like, “Sorry, we don’t serve frappuccinos.”

But it sounds like Rose has chosen to go a little off-book. 

Rey sighs, careful to avoid bumping her arm against the steam wand before inserting it in the pitcher. This is the fifth almond milk vanilla latte that she’s had to make in the past ten minutes. _There’s no way five random people ordered the same drink in a row,_ Rey thinks, steaming the milk until it hits 140 degrees. _It’s gotta be a yoga class or something. They eat this shit up._

Rey spares a quick glance out at the crowded cafe, searching for sweaty people holding rolled-up mats. Nobody fits the description. _Weird. So weird._

“Did you hear that?” Rose asks, heading over to Rey after she finishes ringing up the final customer in line.

“Oh, I heard.”

Rose flashes a mischievous grin.

“I get bored answering the same way every time. Makes me feel less like a robot.”

Rey chuckles before pulling espresso shots.

“Plus,” Rose continues, “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of shaming Starbucks drinkers.” 

“You’re just lucky I love you. Bazine would’ve reported that for sure.”

“Bazine can suck my ass through this reusable straw. Can’t stand her.”

Rose takes a sip from her water bottle, basking in her first few seconds of freedom after the early morning rush. She looks out past the living room area, watching people walk by the large windows outside, when she clears her throat. 

“ _Ahem_. Speaking of luck,” she begins. 

Rose playfully nudges Rey in the shoulder, knocking her off balance. It causes the whipped cream she’s dispensing to miss the top of the latte and land directly on the floor.

“Your boyfriend’s here,” Rose announces. “Right on schedule, too. Looking grumpy as always.” 

“Subtle,” Rey whispers, feigning annoyance. She swirls the whipped cream correctly before bending down to clean up the mess. “And I wouldn’t call it luck. He literally comes in every day.” 

“Hmm,” Rose says, wiggling her eyebrows and helping Rey up from off the floor. “Why don’t you take over on register. I got it back here.” 

Rey gulps before nodding. In actuality, she’s touched by how much Rose seems to care about her non-existent love life. Her obvious crush is just a bit embarrassing, that’s all. 

Rey wipes her hands on her apron before walking over to where her favorite customer stands behind the counter. _Ben._ Or, as she better knows him, One Large Hot Dark Roast with Three Shots of Espresso.

He looks tired as always, wearing the same old flannel and blue jeans, but smiles when she approaches. 

“Hi,” she shyly greets.

“Hi, Rey.” He nods, running one of his hands through his hair.

“You want your regular?”

“Yes, please. To go.”

Of course. It’s the same thing every day. Ben never stays long enough for Rey to muster up the courage to flirt with him.

“Sure thing. That’ll be—”

“$3.99. I know.”

He passes her four bills, brushing his fingers lightly against hers. It sends a thunderous jolt throughout her body. Rey swallows.

“Keep the penny.” 

“Oh. Uh- yeah. Thanks. Have a good day.” 

Ben gives her a soft smile, sticks another bill in the tip jar.

“Yeah. You too, Rey.” 

Rose has his drink prepared by the time he walks over to the pick-up counter. Ben waves before heading out the door, and Rey _melts_. 

When he’s gone, Rose skips back over and leans up against the pastry case. 

“Make sure I have this right. It's been, what, six months filled with weird sexual tension between the two of you? And you _still_ haven’t made a move!?”

Rey sighs, looks down at her shoes. 

“Rose, we’ve been over this. He’s probably not even into me like that.”

Rey’s gone through a million scenarios in her head, imagined everything from shyly asking him to dinner to having her way with him in the employee bathroom. But it all eventually comes back to this: Rey is Ben’s barista. He sees her just about every morning when she gives him his coffee. That is why he’s nice to her. There’s no other reason. _None._

Rose huffs, sticks out her chin. 

“Well, he’d be stupid not to be. You’re young, beautiful, and interested in him. That’s like, the whole trifecta.”

Rey laughs, awkwardly messes with her apron. 

“Thanks. I don’t know. I just feel like if he did like me, he would’ve given me a sign by now. Let me know that it’s reciprocated or something.”

“Hmm.” Rose begrudgingly mumbles, choosing to let this go.

It’s silent as Rey picks at the espresso grinds under her nails. Rose moves to start rinsing out the milk pitchers, when, seemingly out of nowhere, she turns and throws them back down on the counter.

“You know what, no. Fuck that. _Rey._ The next time Ben comes in the shop, you are gonna ask him out. Enough of this waiting on the man to make the first move bullshit.”

Rey sighs. “I want to, Rose. I really do. But then he’s here, right in front of me, and I freeze. It’s hopeless.” 

The door jingles as another customer walks in. 

“Look. I’m tired of this will-they-won’t-they thing.” Rose says. “I bet you this next customer orders an almond milk vanilla latte. If I win, you have to ask Ben out on a date. If you win, I’ll, uh. I’ll give you my tips from today. Deal?” 

Rey hesitates. There’s _no way_ somebody else could order that drink _._ It would be against the laws of probability, or something. Plus, she could use the extra cash.

“Ok, Rose. Deal,” Rey decides, moving over to the register. 

But Rey’s confidence immediately drains. The woman behind the counter is both drenched in sweat and carrying a yoga mat under her left arm. _Shit._

“Let me guess,” Rey says through gritted teeth, accepting her fate. “One large hot almond milk latte with a shot of vanilla?”

The woman perks up and hands over a soggy five dollar bill. “How’d ya know?”

Rey almost laughs. 

“Lucky guess.” 

* * *

Kylo removes his sunglasses, blinking as his eyes adjust to the lighting.

It’s been a long week. 

He’s just finished moving into his new apartment, which has caused days filled with home-brewed Folgers and gratuitous amounts of flavored creamer. It gets the job done, but Kylo’s been meaning to find a go-to coffeehouse. 

_This’ll do,_ he thinks, looking around. It’s cozy. 

He’s just about used to living back in his old hometown, though it’s strange to walk down the street and not recognize any of the storefronts. 

When his boss informed him of the transfer, he wasn’t sure what to think. His mom is thrilled, of course. She has both of her babies back in the same city again. But, Kylo, well. He didn’t really want to move back home. It feels like returning to something he’s outgrown long ago. 

He continues to scan the shop as he makes his way to the register, when his eyes catch those of the barista behind the counter. And his heart _stops._

Because the barista is the most beautiful woman Kylo has ever seen.

“Hi,” the woman says to him as he approaches. 

“Hey,” he replies, spellbound, not even bothering to read the menu board. “What’s good here?”

The woman laughs. Is she nervous? She looks nervous. Regardless, she ignores his question. 

“I like your suit.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. First day of the new job.”

“You look nice.”

Kylo smiles. Is she flirting? This is flirting, right? He doesn’t get the chance to answer before she continues. 

“Your drink’s already over on the counter. That’ll be $3.99, please.” 

Kylo laughs, stunned by her boldness.

“Oh. So you think you know what I like?” he asks, swiping his credit card in the machine. 

The woman blushes.

“I think I have a pretty good idea,” she whispers, biting her lip.

And, ok. That’s it. Kylo’s in love. He looks down at the name tag on her apron before responding. 

“Rey. You are something else.” 

Kylo walks over to the counter to find a large to-go cup with a seven-digit phone number scribbled on the side in Sharpie. He picks it up in shock, looks back over at Rey. 

“So.” She clears her throat. “Your place? Tonight?”

This woman keeps surprising him. Kylo nods enthusiastically, moves to text her immediately. 

“ _Yes_. Uh, I mean. Yeah. Sounds good.” He’s supposed to head out to the suburbs for dinner with his mom and Ben, but he’ll make up some excuse. He has to, now. There’s no way he would ever miss this. 

“Okay.” She watches him mess around on his phone. “Text me.”

He clicks send on the message. It’s time for him to leave, he realizes. Much as he’d rather stay and talk with Rey, he can’t be late for his first day. But, before he goes, Kylo winks. 

“One step ahead of you, sweetheart.”


	2. Chapter 2

Rey feels her back pocket vibrate as she turns the corner onto Ben’s street. 

_Is that him? Am I late or something?_ She checks her phone, stomach in knots. 

But it’s only Rose. 

Her friend has sent her a good luck text with fifty or so eggplant emojis, and Rey, well. Rey decides that maybe it’s best to just turn her phone off altogether. 

As she makes it to the front of Ben’s apartment building, Rey tilts her head to look up at the imposing monochrome structure. She gulps. 

_I can do this,_ she assures. _I can do this._

It’s a miracle she mustered the courage to ask him out in the first place. 

Sure, she had lost the bet. And, yeah, she probably never would’ve heard the end of it from Rose. But the truth of the matter is that Rey hadn’t planned on asking Ben out when she got to work. She fully intended on chickening out. 

But, as she methodically went about her morning, Rey thought about how long it’s been since she took a risk. How long it’s been since she’s actually gone after something that she wants. How long it’s been since she’s actively wanted something— _or someone_ —in the first place. 

And, after a couple hours of contemplation, Rey decided that she honestly doesn’t know. She doesn’t remember the last time she stepped out of her comfort zone.

So she convinced herself to go through with it. 

Even if it doesn’t work out, even if she’s embarrassed herself and lost her favorite customer in the process, Rey’s decided that she owes it to herself to give it a shot. 

Now, as she rides up the elevator, palms clammy and heart beating a mile a minute, Rey reminds herself of her courage. She smiles. 

Here goes nothing. 

* * *

There’s a knock on his door.

That’s Rey. It has to be. 

Kylo immediately tenses. He heads over to the front entryway, smoothing out his shirt and running a hand through his hair. 

This girl has flipped his world completely upside down and he’s only just met her this morning. Nothing has ever felt like this. But Rey can’t know about his nerves. He has to play it cool. 

Kylo steadies himself before pulling the door open, and, _oh my god._

Rey looks incredible, standing there in a pastel pink dress. She takes his breath away. 

“Hi,” she whispers after a few seconds of him staring at her.

Kylo blinks, snaps himself out of his trance. 

“Hi,” he finally responds. “Come on in.” He ushers her inside his apartment, following as she makes her way to the living room. 

“Wow,” she breathes. “This is really nice.”

Kylo shrugs. 

“I’m liking it so far. Just moved in about a week ago, actually.” 

Rey walks over to the expansive window wall and looks out at the city below. Kylo stands behind her, watches her take in the view. 

“New job, new apartment,” she says after a moment. “You’ve had a bunch of major changes recently, huh?”

Kylo moves to her side, and Rey tilts her head to meet his eyes. 

“Yeah. I have.” 

He brushes a few strands of hair out of her eyes, brings his hand to rest at the side of her face. 

“I’m hoping for one more.” 

Rey’s breath hitches. 

“I think you should know,” she whispers, “that I don’t really do this. Like, ever. This is brand new territory for me.”

Kylo lets out a shudder.

“Me either. God. That feels good to admit.”

Rey smiles, leans further into his palm. 

“I was so nervous,” she mumbles. “But now…” She moves closer, and Kylo meets her step for step.

“But now.” He simply nods, agreeing, before pulling her into him. 

Their kiss starts out soft, both of them still testing the waters, though it’s not long before Rey moves to deepen it. Kylo responds with fervor, hauling her into his arms in a way that makes her shiver. Minutes pass before Rey pulls away, panting as she recovers. 

“You shaved,” she says.

“Yeah. I did. For you.”

“For me?”

“Didn’t want the stubble to be scratchy.”

“How considerate.”

“Well. Us Solo men do grow facial hair at an alarmingly fast rate." 

Rey laughs, pulls close to whisper in his ear.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want you to take me to bed. Now, preferably.”

Kylo doesn’t need to be told twice. He races them to his bedroom, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process, before spreading Rey out on his comforter. 

He can’t pull his shirt off fast enough. As soon as he’s slid both his pants and boxers off, Rey reaches for him. 

“You’re so handsome,” she sighs, tracing the lines of his stomach. 

Kylo trembles, moves to lay on top of her. “ _Rey_ — _”_

“It’s the truth.” She cuts him off. “Rose says you’re weird looking, but I don’t think you’re weird looking. You’re like, not even real. A magazine ad or something.”

Kylo grabs the bottom of Rey’s dress, pulls it up over her head, and almost dies when he discovers she isn’t wearing a bra. 

“ _Shit,_ Rey,” he grunts, throwing her dress on the floor. She’s the one who can’t be real. This woman is here, on his bed, just about naked, writhing for him. This is the stuff of dreams, the kind of thing that doesn’t happen to people like him.

“We should've been doing this already,” Rey pants, starting to rub her cunt against his thigh. “All that time. Wasted.”

Kylo closes his eyes, revels in the feeling of Rey. He gets what she’s trying to say. All time before this moment, all these years without her, now seem pointless. 

“I know, sweetheart. I know.” 

“I need you in me,” she breathes. “ _Now._ ”

And, with that, Kylo rips her panties right of her body, tearing them and rendering them completely useless. _Good,_ he thinks, glimpsing at her perfect pussy for the first time. _They should be destroyed, keeping me from this._

Kylo sheathes himself to the hilt in one thrust, not even waiting for her to adjust before he starts driving into her with no abandon, stretching her out so much it feels as though she may break. She is so tiny, his girl. His Rey. _Rey, Rey, Rey_ —

Kylo realizes that he’s been repeating her name over and over, grunting it into the side of her neck. 

“ _Unnnnnfffff._ Oh, _oh_ , _B_ — ” she starts, before Kylo hits the perfect spot and she’s unable to finish her sentence. He slows his pace, allows her to get a few words in. “ _So good_. You feel so good.”

Kylo smirks, begins to suck lovebites beneath the hinge of her jaw. He wants everyone to know that Rey has someone. Someone who will go anywhere, do anything for her.

Kylo’s always had an obsessive personality. And now that he’s had a taste of Rey, there’s no going back. She’s it.

He slides his cock even deeper, feels it pulse around inside. Rey tries grinding up into him, but Kylo’s put all of his weight on top of her, solid and immoveable. She shudders, wraps both her legs and arms around his back, trying to push impossibly closer. As if they weren’t already as close as two people can get. 

“You feel _perfect_ ,” she whispers, looking up into his eyes like he hung the moon, and Kylo comes on the spot. 

His girl, so innocent and sweet underneath him, thinks that he is perfect. 

No one ever likes him, but his girl does. That is enough. 

He continues to thrust as he shoots ropes and ropes of his spend up and into her, voice ragged when he responds.

“You like this, Rey? You like me being inside you, you like my cum you filling up, taking all your extra space?” 

Rey moans, eyes rolling to the back of her head in sheer bliss. He’s plowing her down, now, thrusting faster than ever as he moves one of his hands down to play with her clit. 

“Rey, you listening?”

“Mmhm,” she says, arching her back and chasing release. 

“I want you to come for me. Now.”

The dam bursts. Rey gives in to her pleasure, and Kylo feels her spend ooze out onto the sheets. 

He moves all the way out of her, and Rey immediately groans, before he pushes back in with renewed gusto, drilling her to the bed and staring into her soul.

“I’m gonna come again, baby,” he says.

“Yeah?” she taunts, bringing her hands up to cradle his face.

“Yeah,” he grunts, before doing just that. He spills even more of his cum inside of her, not stopping any of his movements, pushing it up as far inside of her as it can go. She kisses him then, and he’s lost to her soft lips, to the way her nose rubs against cheek, to the way her tongue feels inside his mouth. His movements slow until he’s just laying atop her, cock softening, never more content in his life. 

After a while, Kylo is forced to pull out. It’s _agonizing,_ no longer being surrounded by her warmth. But then Rey settles up against his chest and makes herself his little spoon, and everything is good again. Kylo brings her in tight, set on never letting her go. 

* * *

Three rounds later, Rey lies on top of Kylo, thoroughly exhausted.

“So, uh. What exactly is it that you do?” she asks against him. “I’m assuming it’s something important. You know, with the penthouse and everything.” 

Kylo chuckles. 

“I was actually just named CEO of this company called Tarkin Tech. We specialize in software and computer development, and have our own line of products too.”

Rey sits up in his lap.

“Holy shit.” 

“What?” 

Rey looks like she’s about to explode. 

“When I was in college,” she says, “I took this computer engineering class. For the midterm, I had to take one of the Tarkin laptops apart and then put it back together.” She smiles. “My finished product may have been better than the original. That was my favorite project, I think.”

Kylo’s stunned. Could she be any more perfect? 

“No fucking way,” he breathes out.

“Way,” she says, nodding her head. “Wow. So, I was right. Pretty important.”

Kylo can’t tell if the revelation has impressed, intrigued, or upset Rey. It looks like a mix of all three. 

“Hey,” he says, pulling her down against him again. “What’s on your mind?” 

“Nothing,” she answers too fast. “Well, maybe not nothing. It’s just—”

Rey takes a deep breath.

“I want that for me. I wanna feel like I’m doing something important with my life. I get that a job is a job. But most days it feels like I work to be able to live. I want to live to be able to work. I want to feel like I have a purpose, something I wake up in the morning excited to go accomplish.”

Kylo holds her close, feels her heart beating rapidly against his.

“You know when everyone else was choosing what they wanted to do in life?” She continues. “I never figured all that out. Went to college, sure. But I never figured it out there, either. My purpose. So, here I am. Making coffee for a living. Fuck. I don’t even _like_ coffee.”

Kylo hesitates before he responds.

“A barista that hates coffee. Huh.”

Rey laughs, and Kylo feels the tension she was collecting in her shoulders begin to dissolve. 

“Ironic, right?”

He nods, pulls her flush against him. It’s quiet for a few beats as Kylo gathers his thoughts. 

“Rey,” he finally says. “I don’t know anyone who hasn’t felt like that. Who doesn’t feel like that.”

She grabs one of his hands and starts playing with his fingers.

“Do you?” she asks softly.

He looks at her, really looks at her, and decides that he can share this with her. That he trusts her enough, even after only one day. 

“I mean—yeah. I do.”

It’s quiet, the air charged between them.

“Do you feel this?” Rey whispers, sounding nervous all the sudden. “I can’t—I don’t know what to call it. But this feels like so much more than anything I’ve ever known. This thing between us.” 

Kylo stills. 

He doesn’t believe his luck, doesn’t believe that this woman could actually be feeling half of what he feels for her. This is the start of the rest of his life, Kylo decides. This is his forever. 

“Yeah, Rey. I feel it. I—I know exactly what you mean.”

* * *

“And you’ll come visit me today, right?”

“Of course.”

They’re holding each other in the entryway of his apartment. It’s 4am. Rey has to be at the coffee shop at 5:00 in order to open on time, so she’s about to head home to change into some new clothes.

Kylo’s having a hard time letting her go, pulling her back into his arms every time she attempts to reach for the door. 

“I really, really have to leave,” she says against his lips.

“I know. But maybe you could just, I dunno, call in sick or something?”

She laughs into his shoulder.

“I wish.”

Kylo sighs.

“Rey. This is real for me. I’ve never felt like this before. I want this. I want this so bad it’s scary.”

She grabs his face and pulls him in close, silencing all of his doubts with the most passionate kiss he’s ever received. 

“So do I,” she says, eyes welling up.

This time, when Rey pulls away, he doesn’t pull her back. 

Kylo leans against the doorframe, watches her press the button for the elevator. When it arrives, she turns and gives him a little wave. 

“Bye Ben,” she whispers as the doors shut. 

And, suddenly, all Kylo can see is red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh shiiiit
> 
> Thanks for all the love on the first chapter everyone! Let me know if you liked this, it definitely motivates me to write faster. 💕


	3. Chapter 3

“Am I gonna have to plan a wedding or a murder?” Rose asks in a way that only she can pull off.

“Because, while they both have their own benefits and downfalls, only one option guarantees I stay out of prison. I like to think that there’s still so much more life for me to live. So, you gotta tell me. Just in case I have to start preparing for the worst, you know.”

Rey laughs while tamping a portafilter full of espresso, careful to apply a consistently even pressure. 

“Neither. Shut up.”

Rose groans, starts bouncing impatiently. “Well? How was it?”

Rey sighs. “It was _perfect_. Magical, even. It really did feel like a dream.”

“Magical, huh?” 

Rose forms a megaphone with her hands and begins to whisper-shout in the direction of the living room. 

“Attention customers, breaking news! Local barista believes in love again! Ben Solo has a magic cock. I repeat, Ben Solo has a magic cock! Stay tuned for more on this developing story.”

“ _ROSE_.” 

Rey turns red, playfully shoving her friend in the arm before covering her face with her hands. 

“What?” Rose says. “There’s journalistic integrity to maintain, here. I must report the truth. It’s what the people deserve.” 

Rey snorts.

“Honestly, I don’t even care if anyone heard that,” she says. “I should care, but I don’t. And you know what? I should be tired, too. Didn’t sleep at all last night. But I’m not tired. I’m not tired, and I don’t care, and you’re right. Ben Solo does have a magic cock. So there.” 

Rey smiles, presses her fingers against her cheeks in order to feel the heat of her blush. “I really, _really_ like him.”

“Aww, wait. This is actually super cute. How did my annoying bit turn into this? Come here.” Rose pulls Rey in for a hug. “I’m so fucking happy for you,” she says, squeezing her tight.

“Thanks, Rosey.” Rey says, ending the hug and running a hand through her hair. “It almost feels too good to be true. I keep thinking that I’ll wake up and this will all have been in my head.”

Rose shakes her head. 

“It’s not a dream, Rey. It’s _real_. Your thing with Ben is real.”

“Yeah _,”_ she says, closing her eyes and replaying her incredible night over in her head. “Guess it is.”

And with that, almost as if by fate, the front door swings open and Ben enters the coffee shop. 

He’s wearing his trusty flannel again, looking cute as ever, and Rey exhales. His mere presence relieves almost all her doubt. 

“Speak of the devil,” Rose says with a smile.

Rey immediately moves from behind the counter and runs over to him, and Ben watches her approach with a curious look in his eyes. 

“Hi,” she breathes out, resting her hands against his chest when she reaches him. “I know it hasn’t been that long. But. I missed you.”

He doesn’t even get the chance to speak before Rey stands up on her tiptoes, threads her fingers through his hair, and kisses him. 

At first, Ben stands completely still. He doesn’t return the kiss, doesn’t even move to hold her against him. 

_I must have caught him off guard or something_ , Rey thinks, continuing with her ministrations. 

But after a few more awkward moments she begins to panic. 

Rey moves to pull away, only for Ben to snap himself out of whatever he was stuck in and _finally_ respond. Suddenly, Ben can’t get enough. 

He starts to move his lips in tandem with hers, opening up his mouth and practically shoving his tongue down her throat. It turns into a messy kiss, wet and consuming, desperate. _Finally_ , Rey thinks, as he crushes her against him. _This is where I want to be. Always._

Ben really wasn’t kidding about how fast his facial hair grows. It’s almost as if he’s grown a short beard in a matter of hours. Rey feels it rub against her cheek as the kiss deepens even further.

After what must be minutes, Rey realizes she probably shouldn’t be macking on her man in the middle of the store where she’s employed. She slowly pulls away, and Ben looks down at her with awe.

“Rey—I. _Wow_. Where did that come from?” he asks, completely transfixed.

She grins, nuzzles into him. 

“I told you. Just missed you, is all.”

“This is what I get after a day away? Maybe I should visit my mom more often.”

Rey looks up at him, puzzled.

“What do you mean?”

Ben furrows his brow.

“I...uh. What do _you_ mean?”

But she never gets to answer, because Rey and Ben are interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Loudly. 

Rey turns her head to look at whoever it is, and, _holy fucking shit._

Her heart falls right out of her chest. No. This can’t be real. 

Because, standing there, right behind her, is another Ben. Another Ben who’s clean shaven, has shorter hair, and is wearing a suit. 

Another Ben who looks absolutely _destroyed_.

Rey steps away from the man holding her, more confused than ever.

“So,” other Ben begins, eyes blazing into her own. “I think we need to talk.”

* * *

Of course Rey thought he was Ben.

Of course she wants his brother. Of course. _Of course._

Everyone’s always liked him better, anyway. Mom. Dad. The kids at school growing up, all of their teachers. Who could ever compare to the quarterback with a heart of gold? 

Ben got everything, it seemed, without even trying. He was the guy everyone either wanted to be or to be with. It was the sweetest torture, Kylo remembers, to look almost exactly like the person everyone adored, but to be wanted by nearly no one. 

Over time, though, Kylo learned to play into his own strengths. He studied hard, joined the A/V and robotics clubs, and got into MIT on a full ride. He moved far away from his brother’s ever-looming shadow, set on making a name for himself in a place where nobody knew about Ben Solo. 

Now, though, Kylo’s moved back. And, this time, he really thought it would be different.

Guess not. 

His whole life, Kylo’s made it his goal to never truly resent Ben. He resented the people who were shitty to him, maybe. But not Ben. It’s not his twin’s fault that everyone liked him better. They just did. That was how it was. 

But now. Oh, _now_.

Resentment doesn’t even cover it. 

Because Rey is everything Kylo has ever wanted, and Ben is a threat.

Kylo’s panicking, breathing fast and unsteady as he races back into his bedroom and grabs his phone. As soon as it’s in his hands he dials Rey’s number. 

But it goes straight to voicemail. 

Kylo then texts her, tells her it’s important, tells her she needs to respond.

But she doesn’t. 

Rey doesn’t text back after ten minutes, and Kylo sends another message. And another. And another, until he’s eventually calling again and leaving a frantic voicemail, asking her to _please get back to him as soon as possible._

It’s then when Kylo decides her phone must either be dead or off.

And, for a moment, he falters. 

_Is this a sign?_

Should he just go along with it? Be Ben for her, just to have her any way that he can? Will she even want him if he tells her the truth? Or will she run right into his brother’s arms?

Kylo doesn’t think he could live in a world without her now that he knows what it’s like to have her. Is this his only way? To be Ben?

_No,_ he decides firmly, shuddering and shaking that away. 

Ben wasn’t the one Rey poured her soul out to. Ben wasn’t the one she connected with. Ben wasn’t the one who brought her pleasure all night long. 

Kylo doesn’t plan on giving Rey up. But he has to tell her the truth, first. He wants her screaming _his_ name, not his brother’s.

So he takes a shower, gets dressed, and heads to the coffee shop.

Because Rey needs to know the truth. 

* * *

“I mean, why wouldn’t this happen?” Rey finally says, looking back and forth between the Solo twins. 

She’s just finished listening to both Ben and Kylo, and now they’re waiting on her to say her piece. 

“ _Rey_ ,” Kylo pleads, and isn’t it something else. The way he looks at her like she’s his whole world, the way he seemingly still wants her, even after all this. 

Rey, on the other hand, is still wrapping her head around the fact that ‘other Ben’ is named Kylo, that the man she spent all night fucking is not Ben, but his twin brother, and, _oh_ , is the room spinning? Why does it feel like the room is spinning? 

“I need time to think,” Rey bursts. “This situation is... _crazy._ And I promise I’ll talk to you both about it later. But I—I really just need to think this all through, okay?”

Rey doesn’t even wait to hear their responses. Instead, she speedwalks back behind the counter and grabs Rose by the hand, pulling her into the employee restroom and locking the door behind them. 

“Rose,” Rey starts, trying her best to stay calm. “Please tell me you heard all that.”

Her friend settles on top of the toilet, looking absolutely shell-shocked. 

“I caught bits and pieces, but I think I got the gist.” She tries to keep a straight face before she lets out a single snort, shakes her head. “Ha, who am I kidding. I heard every word. Holy fuck. Twins.”

“Oh my god. _Rose._ _What the fuck am I gonna do?!”_

Rey begins to pace back and forth.

“Yesterday, I hadn’t been with a guy in years. Today, I learn that two different guys have a thing for me. Two guys who just so happen to be _brothers;_ one of which I had lots of really great sex with, and the other who I’ve been pining after for half a year. _Help. Me_.”

Rey’s out of breath. Rose, on the other hand, looks like she’s just heard the most fascinating story of her life. 

“Holy shit, Rey. I can’t believe this is actually happening. You think it has to do with the whole Mercury being in Gatorade thing? Cause I read an article about it online the other day and it seems like this could be—”

“ _ROSE.”_

Rey stops pacing, looks at Rose pleadingly. 

“AH—okay, okay. Well. First, I can see how this could be interpreted as a problem. However. Have you considered the possibility that the universe heard how much you were wishing for your crush to notice you, all sweet and innocent-like, and decided to reward your patience by giving you, not one, but _two_ Bens. Rey. The _possibilities._ ”

“Oh my god. _ROSE.”_

Rey slides down onto the dirty bathroom floor and covers her face with her hands. Against her better judgement, she starts to cry. Rose, realizing she must be completely serious now, immediately moves to comfort her.

“Shhh, shhh. It’s okay. Let’s think about this. You said your night with Kylo was—and I quote—magical?”

Rey looks up, wipes her tears with her sleeve.

“Well, yeah. It was amazing.” 

“Well, that settles it then. You had the connection with Kylo, you had crazy, life-altering sex with Kylo, you have to choose Kylo. End of story.”

Rey considers this. 

“But...Rose. I didn’t know he was Kylo. I thought he was Ben. The whole time I thought I was having this connection with Ben. Ben is the one I’ve spent the better part of the past year crushing on. Don’t I…”

She takes a breath, collects her thoughts before continuing.

“Don’t I owe it to myself to figure it out with Ben, too? To see what it’s like?”

Rose presses her lips together and tilts her head to the side.

“So, I was mostly kidding about all the ‘possibilities’ stuff I said before...”

“ _Rose.”_

“But—yeah. I get it. That makes sense. I’d just, you know, try to be careful about it all. They’re brothers, Rey.”

The floor creaks when Rey moves to stand. They’ve both spent too much time in the bathroom, and she knows that. Her and Rose are the only baristas on duty, and although the second hour tends to drag, there’s gotta be a customer waiting at the register right now. Rey brushes off her clothes before moving to grab the door handle. But, before she turns it, she replies, “Yeah, I know. I will. Be careful, that is.” 

Rose pulls her in for a hug, laughs at the absurdity of it all knowing that the tension has been lifted.

“Well. Maybe not _too_ careful.”

“Oh, my god. Rose.” 

“I’m just saying—”

“I know _exactly_ what you're saying.”

* * *

When Rey emerges from the restroom, she finds Ben is still in the shop. 

He’s way too big to be sitting on the tiny couch in the living area, but there he is anyway, waiting for her. Their eyes meet, and he shoots straight up, starts heading her way. 

“Hey,” he says as he approaches, scratching the back of his neck. “Kylo had to leave for work, and so do I really soon, but I didn’t wanna go before I had...before I had the chance to say….” 

He looks so nervous, tripping over all his words. Rey waits, patiently. 

“Before I had the chance to say that I like you.”

Here comes Rey’s blush again.

“Oh,” she whispers, tugging at her sleeve. 

“Would you wanna, maybe, I dunno, go for a walk in the park later?” he asks.

And Rey, well. Rey doesn’t know what to say. If he had asked her this literally any other day this past year, she would’ve agreed in a heartbeat. 

But now there’s just so much more to consider. 

Rey’s tired of this stress. She just wants it all to be easy again. Wasn’t this why she pined after him from afar? To avoid heartbreak and pain? 

But she looks up at Ben, and he’s looking at her just like she always dreamed he would. With interest. With lust. 

_And, well_ , Rey thinks. _Why not?_

She smiles.

“Yeah. I’d like that. I’d really, really like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and i oop-
> 
> Thanks for reading, everyone! If you liked this be sure to let me know, it really motivates me to write faster 💕💕


	4. Chapter 4

“You really liked me this whole time?”

Rey narrows her eyes and tilts her head in Ben’s direction, disbelieving that he could actually be this dense.

“Well, yeah. I thought it was so obvious. Every time you came in the shop I practically melted into a puddle.” 

“Wow,” he says, shaking his head. “I never knew. I guess I never let myself believe we were anything more than an overly-friendly barista and her regular customer.” 

Rey deflates a bit before Ben quickly reaches for her hand, threads his fingers between hers, and continues. 

“Don’t get me wrong, though. I hoped, Rey. I hoped we could be something more.”

She swallows. Sure, they’ve been walking through the park together for the past half hour, talking about everything and nothing in between. That’s something you only do with a person you like. But to hear it confirmed in so many words, to hear that Ben had also been hoping for the possibility of them _,_ is almost too much. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he says assuringly, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. 

A welcome gust of wind blows, and Rey basks in it. The heat of the early summer evening is already getting to her, turning her hands all gross and clammy. It’s a miracle Ben still even wants to hold her hand.

That’s when it hits her — _Ben is holding her hand._

Her Ben, the real one, the one she’s wanted for so long. Her and Ben. Together. 

Rey moves to look up at him again, and sighs contentedly. 

“What happens now?” she dares to ask. 

Ben doesn’t answer right away, instead leading her over to an ice cream cart.

“Well,” he says, pulling out his wallet. “Just so we’re clear, my intentions were for this to be a date. But it can be whatever you want it to be. Vanilla, chocolate, or espresso?”

Rey blushes as Ben passes the vendor a couple dollars. 

“Vanilla,” she says.

“Espresso for me. I never did get my coffee this morning.”

The man hands over their ice cream cones, which have already begun to drip from the heat. Ben catches the runny ice cream with his tongue before it makes a mess, and Rey just watches him, transfixed. 

“Wanna go sit down?” he asks after getting his cone under control.

“Okay,” Rey nods. 

Ben grabs her hand again, guiding her over to a secluded metal bench underneath a towering oak tree. They sit there together for a moment, enjoying their ice cream and each other’s company, before Rey speaks up.

“Ben?”

“Mhm?”

“I’d really like for this to be a date.”

Ben’s face breaks out into the widest smile. He finishes off the last of his cone before spreading his arms out across the top of the bench and leaning closer to Rey. 

“Well, then. What should we do next? See a movie? Get dinner? More ice cream? I’m down for anything.”

Rey smiles, looks down as her vanilla ice cream leaks down the side of her cone and onto her hand. 

“Ben. I want to. I really do. If today was _any other day_...of course. In a heartbeat, all of it. But...”

Rey trails off, at a loss for words. Ben nods and lets out a breath, silently understanding. 

“But.”

They’ve been avoiding it so far, the fact that she slept with his brother. The fact that this is now something more complicated than she ever imagined it could be. 

“I get it,” he says, assuring her. “Take all the time you need, Rey.” 

Ben pulls out his phone and holds it out to her. 

“Why don’t you text your phone, just so you’ll have my number. I’ll see you at the coffee shop tomorrow, but still.”

Rey texts herself the words _Ben Solo_ before finishing up the last of her cone. 

“Thanks for the ice cream,” she manages through her nerves, feeling the intense gaze of his stare.

“Of course.”

And, without warning, Ben leans in close. Almost as close as he was this morning, right before Rey kissed him. She looks into his eyes, feels something stir inside her. 

“You know,” he says, right against her lips, “you’ve got a little something right here.”

“Do I?” she breathes, barely louder than a whisper.

He nods.

“Let me get it for you.”

And then he kisses her. 

It’s gentler than before, a soft promise of more to come, or, maybe, his way of saying goodbye for the night. 

He’s taken over all of her senses. Rey can’t think, can’t breathe, can’t process anything that isn’t Ben. And she _loves_ it. This is what she’s wanted for so long. 

But as the kiss continues, Rey finds herself at odds with herself. 

_This is what I want,_ she insists, kissing Ben deeper and choosing to ignore the part of her that craves something else.

The part of her who craves _someone else_. 

* * *

  


Rey leaps onto her couch as soon as she gets home, ready to decompress from her crazy day. She pulls her phone out of her purse but finds that it doesn’t do anything when she presses the home button. 

Oh. That’s right. 

Her phone has been off for almost a day, now. She didn’t mean for it to happen, simply caught up in the whirlwind of the past 24 hours. 

Rey reaches for her charging cable before turning her phone back on. God, she probably has a billion texts from Rose by now. 

Her screen lights up, and all at once Rey is hit with the shit ton of notifications she knew she would have. 

But they’re not all from Rose. The opposite, actually. 

Almost all of Rey’s notifications are from the contact that reads as _Ben_ , who she now knows is Kylo. Seven missed calls. Thirty text messages. Two voice mails.

It’s overwhelming. Her heart aches as she begins to read his texts. 

**I need to tell you something, please answer me.**

**This is important, Rey.**

**Is your phone off? Your phone must be off.**

**I’m coming to see you. There’s something you need to know.**

**Don’t panic. It’ll be okay. We will get through this. I know that we will get through this.**

She has more than two dozen other texts just like that, but it’s the most recent one that stands apart from the rest. It was sent only an hour ago, and Rey chokes on her own tears as she reads it. 

**Rey, whatever happens, I want you to know that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Please hear me out. Please. I am here when you are ready to talk. Whenever. I will wait however long it takes.**

Rey doesn’t know what to think. What to say, even. How to respond. 

The apartment is too hot, all of the sudden. She strips down to her underwear and turns on the overhead fan before snuggling up with a throw blanket and settling in the corner of the couch. 

With all the strength she can muster, Rey hits play on Kylo’s first voice mail. It’s short and to the point, but he sounds frantic and scared. Rey just wants to hold him. To calm him down, to make it all better.

The next voice mail is much longer than the first, and Rey lets out a shaky breath before hitting play.

“Rey,” Kylo starts in a low voice. “I realize now that you never wanted me. I get that it was Ben you wanted. Who you probably still want.” He pauses, composing himself. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we connected last night. What we had was real. Is real. That was me and you. I have never felt this way about anyone. Ever.”

Rey is at a loss for words. The low timbre of his voice and the passion with which he’s speaking has her _so turned on._ No one has ever felt this strongly about her before. Rey understands now that whatever she was feeling last night, whatever bond she formed, was with this man. Not Ben. But with Kylo.

Rey slowly moves her hand to the waistband of her panties before sliding a couple fingers inside. It’s not long before she’s touching herself, so wet from only the sound of his voice alone. 

“You’re all I’ll ever want,” he continues. “Please call me. Yours, Kylo.”

Rey replays the message the second it ends, desperate to continue hearing his voice. She imagines it’s his fingers inside of her, that it’s his touch bringing her to release. 

The message gets repeated over and over on loop, his deep cadence just about putting her in a trance, until Rey finally comes with a shudder. 

_Okay, it’s decided._ Rey admits before drifting off to sleep. _I definitely have a thing for Kylo._

* * *

  


Nothing makes sense. 

Rey’s in her apartment, but the walls are painted a different color, and it’s light outside. Looks to be mid-day. 

She’s lying across her couch wearing lace lingerie she doesn’t own and could never afford. Her hair falls to her shoulders in perfect curls. 

She feels beautiful. Like she could be someone’s dream girl. Oh. _Dream._ Is this a dream? It has to be, because Ben’s here, now. 

“Hi baby,” he says, as he drapes himself on top of her. He’s naked.

“Hi,” she whispers, as he presses kisses all over her body.

“We missed you. So much. You have no idea.”

“We?” she questions, before she feels another body slide behind behind her. She turns her head and finds that it’s Kylo who has gathered her into his arms. It’s Kylo who is now whispering in her ear. 

“That’s right, baby. We missed our girl so much. But don’t worry. We’re here now.”

Kylo kisses his way down her neck as he moves to unbuckle her bra. 

“You missed me?”

Ben nods. “That’s not even a question, honey. Of course we did. Right?”

Kylo begins lightly tracing her nipples with his fingers, stimulating them until they harden.

“Rey. You know you’re all I’ll ever want,” Kylo says, and she stops breathing. It’s what he said in the voicemail she fell asleep to, what she’s always wanted to hear someone say. 

Ben pulls her closer, starts lining himself up at her entrance. 

“You mean, she’s all _we’ll_ ever want,” he corrects, pointedly. 

But Kylo doesn’t respond. Instead, he tilts her head to the side again and catches her lips against his own. 

“No,” he whispers, only loud enough for her to hear. “I meant what I said. You’re it for _me_. Only me, Rey. Me and you.”

And, right then, it’s all over. Just as sudden as it began. 

* * *

Rey wakes with a shout, tightly clutching the throw blanket she wrapped herself in. _Holy shit,_ she thinks as she slowly comes back to herself. _That was some dream._

She sighs, trying to understand what it is that she even wants. For so long, her answer was always Ben. 

But now it’s not so simple.

What if it was Ben who had gotten the cup with her number on it instead? Would he have reciprocated her advances? Would she be out-of-her-mind in bliss with him right now?

And what if Kylo hadn’t walked in the coffee shop that day? Would she have never even met him at all? Rey doesn’t even want to think about that. _No._ It was meant to happen this way. _For some reason,_ she thinks, _this all feels inevitable._

Rey moves to check her phone, and finds that she has a new text from number that’s not in her contacts. Interested, she clicks on the message. 

**I had a really nice time with you today.**

Of course. _Ben._

He’s always been so sweet to her. It’s why she’s spent the better part of the year crushing on him, why she’s so conflicted right now. 

Rey thinks back to what she told Rose this morning, about how she needed to figure it all out with Ben before she made any decisions. 

And, before she has the chance to change her mind, Rey sends him a text. 

**Are you awake?**

He responds immediately.

**Yes. Awake and thinking about you.**

Rey closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and types out a reply. She hesitates before sending it, overthinking every single one of her actions. Is this too forward? Is it stupid? Should she just go back to sleep and figure it all out in the morning?

_No,_ she finally decides. No more overthinking. No more leading with her head. It’s time to lead with her heart. 

Rey sends Ben the message. She reads it over and over again, her ears beginning to ring, heart beating out of her chest. 

**Can I come over?**

Well. It’s happened. There’s nothing she can do about it now. She throws her phone against the cushions in instant regret. 

But her fears calm as soon as she feels the couch vibrate, indicating he’s responded. Slowly, she picks her phone back up and reads his message. 

**Yes. Please. Of course.**

_Welp_ , she thinks. _Here goes nothing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oOF
> 
> Thank you so much for reading 💕 If you liked this let me know, it definitely motivates me to write faster!


	5. Chapter 5

The coffee shop was insanely busy the first time Rey ever saw Ben. Like, the line-extended-halfway-down-the-sidewalk-and-the-open-front-door-let-out-all-the-air-conditioning kind of busy. 

She was working the cash register, a task that consistently never fails to make her feel insignificant. A means to an end. The only thing standing between the tired customer and their caffeine. 

Every single person was too hurried to answer the obligatory, “Hi, how are you?” before they automatically rolled out their drink order. 

Every single person but Ben.

He answered her. He answered her, and asked her how she was doing as well. No one ever does that. Rey was rendered speechless. _Good,_ she answered, when that was the farthest thing from the truth. She wasn’t good. She was stuck. Stuck in a job she hates. Stuck trying to figure out what it is she really wants to do with her life. Stuck in this town with nobody, besides her new coworker, Rose, who even seemed to care about her at all. 

Rey did not tell any of this to Ben that day. She simply took his order, and, from the corner of her eye, watched him shuffle over to the side to wait for it to be called out.

It was too busy for her to stay focused on him for too long. He left without another glance her way. 

But he kept coming back. 

And, secretly, Rey hoped it had something to do with her. 

It’s that same hope that carries her to the front of his doorstep and compels her to knock twice. 

_Shit,_ she thinks, now plagued with an onslaught of doubt and insecurity. _Is this a good idea? This can’t be a good idea. Why am I doing this? What if it ruins everything?_

But Rey steadies herself with a deep breath and attempts at answering her own questions. 

_This is a good idea because I need answers. I need to try and understand what it is that I want. I am confused, but that does not make me promiscuous. It does not make me selfish. It makes me human._

_I am doing this because I deserve love. I’m done hiding away from it. I’m tired of watching it happen to other people. I am ready for it to happen to me._

_And if it ruins everything, well. At least I know that I tried. At least I know that I didn’t just hide behind the counter all my life, admiring from afar._

Rey repeats the mantra over and over in her head, hoping that someday, she will believe it so thoroughly she won’t need a constant reminder.

* * *

“I was a little surprised by your text.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he affirms, guiding her over to the living room, and, _oh_. It’s a mess.

Clothes are scattered all over the floor. Opened half-eaten bags of chips lay forgotten on his coffee table. The window is open, bringing in the slightest breeze and causing the curtains to sway. A particularly strong gust makes an empty take-out container tumble off the ledge. 

Ben’s watching her take in his space, and it’s like he has just now noticed how messy it is. He dives to collect the balled-up t-shirts and flannels from the floor. 

“I’ll be right back,” he says, hurrying off to what Rey assumes is his bedroom. “Make yourself at home.”

As she sits down on his couch, Rey continues looking around his apartment. She has to admit — it is homey. Lived-in. She likes it. 

Rey takes her hair out of the bun she threw it up in and kicks off her shoes just as Ben re-enters the room.

“So,” he says, making his way over to her. “I don’t wanna assume anything. Nothing has to happen tonight. I just thought...uh, well. Because of the time, because of the text itself, that you wanted to—”

Rey cringes before she cuts him off.

“ _Ben_. Stop. Please. You assumed right.”

He visibly exhales before he moves to join her on the couch.

“So what does this mean?”

Rey laughs bitterly. 

“For the first time in my life, I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to happen. What this means. All I do know is that for so long, you were this untouchable thing. The person I looked forward to seeing everyday, someone I never really even knew, but desperately wanted to. You would walk into the coffee shop and I would have to pinch myself. A dream. You were a dream.” 

Ben clears his throat.

“And now? What am I now?”

Rey hesitates for a second before answering. 

“It’s not like the dream has gone away. But it’s different now.” 

“Different?”

Rey nods before continuing.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want this. I do.” 

“You’re sure?” he asks, moving to take her hand in his.

She takes a deep breath, remembers her mantra. Remembers how she needs answers, how she deserves love. 

“Yes,” she whispers before she can change her mind. “I’m sure.”

And, in no time at all, Ben has pulled her right into him, crashing his lips against her own. He backs her down against the couch, settling in between her thighs. It feels good, to have him hold her close, to have him thrust up against her through his jeans. To have him want her. 

It feels good. It does. Ben is enthusiastic. Attentive, even. 

But something’s off. 

When Rey would picture this moment in her head, she imagined it would feel like fireworks. Like reaching nirvana, or getting into heaven. That it would feel perfect. 

And right now, well. It feels fine. Just fine.

The heavy weight of him atop her is comforting. It is. And Ben is a good kisser. He does feel good. It’s just not what she expected. 

There’s nothing wrong with the way he pushes her shirt and pants off — it surely shows how eager he is — but it’s not the same. It’s not the Ben she’s pictured for so long, the one from her dreams, the one who would whisper sweet nothings in her ear, the one who would remove each piece of her clothing with extreme care, leaving sweet kisses in his wake. Yeah, that’s not what’s happening here. 

Ben moves a throw pillow behind Rey’s back so the armrest doesn’t dig into her uncomfortably, which is greatly appreciated, but it also takes her out of the moment. Was she ever really in the moment in the first place?

“This feels so right,” he groans, beginning to unzip his pants. “Feels so good.”

_Does it?_ Rey’s not sure. In no way does it feel bad, but it's not everything she hoped it would be. 

A traitorous part of her already knows the reason why.

“You ready?” Ben asks, lining himself up against her. Rey nods, her eyes squeezed shut. “Alright, honey. Here it goes.”

Ben pushes in— and where she thought she’d finally feel the fireworks, Rey mostly feels, well. Ordinary. Full, but ordinary. There’s a bit of a burn as he stretches her out, as he moves up inside of her, but she feels none of the instant passion that she was expecting. It’s almost like she thought a switch would go off, that the missing piece would finally click into place. But nope. 

“Oh. _Rey_ ,” Ben groans, tightening his grip on her hips. “Fuck. Feels _so good_.” 

He’s not wrong. It doesn’t feel _bad_. Not at all.

There’s just something missing. 

She doesn’t want to admit it, but she knows why. 

He’s not Kylo. 

Everything felt better with him. Kylo laid it all out on the table. Made her feel special. Gave her all of him. What they had...what they _have_...is something else. She gets that now. Nothing could be more clear.

And now here Rey lies, half-naked on an old soda-stained couch, letting her supposed dream man rail himself into her. It’s tricky at first, to find a rhythm that works for them, but eventually Ben is grunting in a way that lets her know that he’s almost finished. 

“Rey, _I_ —I can’t hold on much longer. I’m gonna, I’m about to, I’m— _oh._ ”

Ben spills inside of her, moaning into her ear and speeding up his thrusts as he rides it out. She’s not even _close_ to her release, but she fakes a few moans to save herself from the awkwardness that she is sure will quickly approach. She must’ve been really convincing, because Ben grabs her face and looks her right in the eyes. 

“Did you just come too? Did we just come together? That’s beautiful.”

Rey is so frustrated that she doesn’t know whether to cry or scream. 

It is so obvious to her, now. Ben is _oblivious._ He probably didn’t notice her for months. He never really even flirted with her, either. He only ever made a move after she kissed him. This was her dream?

“Ben,” Rey starts.

“Mhm?”

“Do you remember the first time we saw each other?”

Ben pulls out and immediately wraps himself around the throw blanket that’s spread along the back of the couch. 

“I—uh. What? I dunno. Why?”

Rey blinks back a couple tears.

“No reason. Just wondering.”

* * *

“Rose. You’re nocturnal or something, I swear.”

Rey falls into her friend’s outstretched arms, the hug instantly making her feel so much better. 

“No, I just don’t sleep. Though if I could be nocturnal, I’d wanna be a cool animal. Like an owl. Or a bandicoot.” 

Rey laughs into Rose’s shoulder.

“A bandicoot?”

“What? With a name like that, how could I not wanna be one?”

“Admit it. You just have a really weird thing for Crash.”

Rose shoves Rey off before ushering her inside and shutting the door.

“Hey. Shut up. I prepared you comfort food out of the goodness of my heart. I don’t deserve this slander.” 

“Comfort food?” 

“There’s mac and cheese on the stove and cinnamon rolls in the oven. Yeah, you heard me. Cinnamon rolls. Pillsbury. The mega-sized ones. You’re welcome.” 

“I don’t deserve you.”

Rose wraps herself around Rey again.

“Except you do. You deserve so much, Rey. _So much._ ” 

And Rey starts to tear up.

“This is pathetic. Why am I crying?”

Rose gestures for Rey to take a seat at the kitchen table before scooping a bowl full of mac and cheese. She brings it over along with two forks. 

“Hey. You’re going through it right now. This is a normal reaction. I’d actually be more concerned if you weren’t crying.”

Rose takes a bite of mac and cheese before continuing.

“Now, if you could please fill me in, I’d greatly appreciate it. I feel like I need a whole ‘And that’s what you missed on Glee!’ style recap.”

Rey sighs before diving into the pasta herself. After a few short minutes of companionable silence, Rey finally feels ready enough to share.

“It’s just... _Rose_. I don’t know Ben at all. I dreamed about him so long, I made him into something he never was. Something he’ll never be. That’s why I never approached him, I think. He was safe. A constant in my life—someone who I knew would always be around, but who didn’t have the power to hurt me.” 

“Oh, Rey—”

“It’s the truth. I didn’t want to let anyone in. But, at the same time, I wanted someone to care about me. So I just continued to fantasize about the hot customer who came in every morning, overanalyzing every one of our interactions. And lately...I dunno. I’ve been wanting something more than that. Something real. I just needed a push. So, that’s why, when you bet me to ask him out...I did. I thought I was finally ready.” 

It’s silent for a few moments. Rey starts to play with her hangnail, and Rose is left to process all that her friend has just shared. The silence is disrupted, however, when the oven dings. Loudly. Both girls jolt from the intrusion, look at each other in shock, and burst out into laughter.

“Well. I guess the cinnamon rolls are done.”

“Oh, ya think?”

Rose jumps out of her chair and takes the tray out of the oven before slicing open the packet of cream cheese frosting. 

“You wanna help me do the honors?”

She holds the packet out towards Rey, who smiles before getting up and joining Rose at the counter. 

“It would be my pleasure.”

Rey squeezes the frosting packet over the cinnamon rolls, watching the gooey substance melt into the hot pastry. 

“You know what this looks like?” Rose asks with a devious smile.

Rey snorts. 

“This is actually the closest I’ve gotten to coming in the past hour. And it’s not from lack of trying. So. There’s that.”

Rose recoils, her mouth dropping all the way to the floor.

“Okay, you _definitely_ left some stuff out of the recap.”

Rey maneuvers a cinnamon roll out of the pan and takes a generous bite.

“Mmhm,” she says with a full mouth. 

“Well?!”

Rey swallows.

“I’m gonna tell you everything, Rose. I promise. But there’s someone else I have to talk to first.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehe 
> 
> So, I moved! That's why this update took longer than usual. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this story, if you liked this be sure to let me know! It definitely motivates me to write faster. 💕💕💕


	6. Chapter 6

Rey presses send before she can change her mind.

**Hi. I know it’s late, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m ready to talk. And that I miss you.**

_God, what if he never responds,_ she thinks, rereading the message over and over. _I’m such an idiot. The worst._

But she doesn’t worry for long. Within seconds, her phone rings. He’s calling her. Kylo is _calling_ her.

Rey’s mind goes completely blank, her heart rate increasing to speeds she didn’t know were even possible. She swallows before hitting accept.

“Hi,” she whispers in a daze.

“ _Rey,”_ she hears Kylo sigh in relief, almost as if he’s just taken his first breath all day. “I’m so glad to hear your voice.”

Rey blushes.

“Yeah?”

“ _Yes._ Rey. You have no idea.” 

Rey bites her lip before responding. 

“I close at the coffee shop tomorrow.”

“Oh?” 

“Mhm. We could meet there, if you want. Talk after I get off work.”

“Yes,” he answers immediately. “I’d love that. _Yes._ ” 

Rey smiles into her phone.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you later.”

“I guess you will.” 

Neither of them move to hang up, both frozen, stuck in a state of stupor. She can hear Kylo breathing steady on the other line, a reminder that he is still there. A reminder that he wants her. A reminder of the voicemail she repeated on a loop. 

_You’re all I’ll ever want,_ he had said.

At the time it seemed too good to be true. But now...now Rey believes him. She giggles, partly from the lengthy, compatible silence, and also from the thrill of fully realizing she’s falling for him. Kylo joins in, and then they’re laughing together. 

“You’re still here,” she whispers, finally breaking the silence.

“I am,” he assures. “There’s nowhere else I want to be.” 

And Rey _swoons_.

The moment is quickly interrupted by a loud bang on the bedroom door. 

“This is super cute and all, but I have to open in the morning,” Rose yells. “Can we skip past the next ten minutes of ‘No, you hang up first,’ and just get to the actual hanging up part?” 

Rey laughs, opening the door for her best friend. Rose races inside, shutting off the lights and hopping inside her bed in one swift move. 

“Oh, I snore,” Rose says as she settles into the covers. “Just warning you now.” 

“I have to go,” Rey says to Kylo, who, telling by his laughter, most _definitely_ heard Rose’s outburst.

“I’ll hang up,” he says. “Don’t wanna get on her bad side.”

Rey smiles, reveling in their banter.

“Nope,” she says under her breath. “Definitely not.”

* * *

“Medium half-caf almond milk vanilla latte!”

Rey hands her final customer their drink before letting out a deep sigh. It’s been a hectic shift, filled with a never-ending flow of people and excitement over her plans with Kylo. 

She looks up at the microwave to check the time just as the door jingles, signaling another customer has walked in before she’s had the chance to lock up.

“Sorry, we’re closed,” Rey says while grabbing the sign, not even giving the customer a spare glance. 

“I know,” the customer responds.

Rey looks up to find Kylo himself standing in the corridor with a goofy-looking smile on his face. 

“Oh,” she says, blushing. “Hi. You’re early.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. I still have to do all the chores. Shoulda told you to come a little later.”

Rey makes her way over to the front door, locking it tight and hanging the closed sign on its handle. 

“Would you like a drink?” she offers, nervously fiddling with her hands. “It’d be on me.” 

Kylo follows her over to the counter, pausing as she makes her way behind it. 

“You can come back here,” she says, gesturing for him to meet her by the espresso machine. He gives her a curious glance before following her behind the counter. “I guess I could go for some coffee.”

Rey gives him a pointed look, pretending to evaluate him. “So, what’s your drink of choice? Cappuccino? Iced chai? Am I getting close?”

Kylo hesitates, tilting his head a bit to the side.

“This is a no-judgement zone, right? You promise?”

Rey laughs.

“Promise.” 

Kylo clears his throat. 

“Normally I just drink regular coffee with a shit ton of flavored creamer. But, if I’m coming to a place like this, I’ll get a latte with some marshmallow flavoring. And, uh. Vanilla too.” 

Rey’s heart just about melts. 

“Wouldn’t have pegged you for a sweet tooth,” she says, moving to grab an empty pitcher. 

He lets out an exaggerated sigh.

“Don’t tell anyone. Can’t have it ruining my reputation.”

Rey giggles, ties her hair up in a ponytail. 

“Wanna learn how to make it?”

Kylo moves closer, leans his arm against the counter. 

“What, you mean learn how to operate the espresso machine?”

Rey shrugs. “Yeah. I thought it might be fun.” 

Kylo smiles before nodding in agreement. “Why not?” 

“Yay! Okay, so, first step. Open the fridge and pass me whatever type of milk you want. If you’re going for something sweet, I’d suggest almond, unless you have a specific preference.”

Kylo lifts out a gallon and unscrews the lid. “What’s next?”

Rey grabs the jug and eyeballs enough milk for a small latte into the pitcher. 

“This looks about right. Now, do you see the wand sticking out from the machine?”

Kylo points to it with a questioning look, and Rey nods.

“Yep. That’s going to steam the milk. Here.” 

She sticks a thermometer against the edge of the pitcher before passing it over to Kylo, carefully guiding his hands to the right position.

“Hold the pitcher at this angle... _yep_ , just like that. We’re gonna stick the wand right here... _perfect_. Now, carefully, you’re going to pull down on this lever.” 

Kylo grabs the lever and pulls all the way down in one swoop, causing a loud hissing noise and milk to splash and splatter out of the pitcher.

“Oh, shit,” he reacts, quickly letting go.

Rey laughs, covering her mouth with her hand and trying to hold in her amusement. 

“No, no, it’s okay. Here, just try again. More carefully this time.” 

Rey guides Kylo back into the correct position, keeping her hands on top of his as she helps him slowly pull down on the lever. The milk isn’t sputtering anymore, and although there’s still a small hissing sound, it’s nowhere near as severe as before.

“You’re doing it!” she exclaims, checking the temperature on the thermometer. “Just like a pro.” 

Kylo tilts his head to look over his shoulder, meeting her gaze. He swallows, looking up and down between her eyes and lips. Rey’s suddenly hyper-aware of the way she has encircled him, the way she’s practically draped across his back. The way his hands feel against her own. She’s lost in his eyes, drowning in them, before she snaps out of her trance and remembers what they are doing.

“The milk!” Rey exclaims, pushing the lever back up, careful not to hit her hand against the scorching-hot steam wand. “That was close.” 

“Sure was,” Kylo says, and judging from the way she can feel his words against her neck, Rey doesn’t think he’s talking about the milk. His breath pickles goosebumps into her skin. She shivers. 

“Why don’t I do the espresso on my own,” she mutters, attempting to come back to herself a little. “You can go choose how many pumps of marshmallow and vanilla flavoring you want.”

Rey hands him a small mug, and leads him over to where they keep the syrup bottles. As she tampers the espresso grinds, she may or may not hear him squirt over ten pumps of flavoring into his mug.

“Are you finished?” she asks, sticking the portafilter into the machine. 

“Mhm,” he says, passing her his cup of sugary syrup. 

“I’m only gonna make a single shot of espresso,” she says, pressing the correct button on the machine. “It’s getting late.” 

She watches the espresso fall from the machine, and even though Rey doesn’t like coffee, even though she sorta hates her job, she doesn’t hate this moment. No. This is the best part. Watching it all come together. When she gets to create something from nothing, make a drink that somebody will enjoy. And espresso does smell good, even if it’s far too bitter for her taste. 

She grabs the pitcher, moves it around in slow circles. 

“You did a perfect job with the milk,” Rey says, pouring it inside Kylo’s mug at an angle, delicately finishing the latte off with a pretty design on the top.

“Well, I had a great teacher.”

Rey blushes before passing him the drink. She watches him blow away steam, attempting to cool it down a bit before he takes a sip. 

When he finally tastes it, Kylo makes a sound so sinful it should be illegal.

“Oh my god. Rey. _This_ ,” he takes another sip, eyes rolling to the back of his head, “is incredible.”

“You did half the work,” she says, moving dirty dishes to the sink and beginning to scrub at the counter space. “But I’m glad you like it.” 

Rey ushers over to the living area. “You’re welcome to sit over there while you wait. I shouldn’t be too long.”

Kylo raises an eyebrow. “Wait?”

“I still have all the chores to do, remember. If I hurry I can probably get them done in about an hour.” 

Kylo looks stumped. 

“It’ll take you an hour?”

“Probably. I’m all by myself, today.” 

He takes a tentative look around the shop, sets his latte down on the counter, and puts his hands in his pockets.

“Well, I’m not doing much of anything. Why don’t I help you?”

Rey laughs. It’s a nice gesture, but there’s no way she's gonna ask him to do that. 

“Very funny.” She grabs a container of bleach and a mop from a closet, reluctantly heading back to clean the bathroom. “Now, if you excuse me. The toilet won’t scrub itself.”

* * *

Rey walks out of the bathroom and instantly hears two things. One, the sound of a faucet running. And two, someone humming. 

She turns the corner slowly and finds Kylo at the sink. He’s currently scrubbing down the espresso machine’s inside tray, standing next to a drying rack full of every other dish she was dreading on washing, already sparkling clean.

He cleaned all the dishes. Kylo did all the dishes.

The song he’s humming is unmistakably Build Me Up Buttercup. Instead of singing the verses, he’s humming the melody and speaking both of the call and response parts aloud. It’s adorable. And, also, dare she say it, sexy. It shouldn’t be, but it is. He washed the _dishes._ Without being _asked._

Rey clears her throat, and Kylo jumps. 

“Oh. Hi,” he says, embarrassed for some reason. “Sorry. I hope you aren’t mad, I just thought, well. I thought that if I helped we could get out of here faster.”

Rey walks right up to Kylo, close enough to lean up and kiss him if she tried.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she says, blinking back happy tears and realizing that she means it in more than one way. He doesn’t have to apologize for doing her chores. For leaving all those phone messages. For not being who she thought she wanted. “For anything, Kylo.” 

He moves a strand of hair out of her eyes and rests his hand against her cheek, and suddenly she’s transported back to that night. The night they connected, the night he became a part of her life forever.

“Yeah?”

Tears are flowing now, as she nods her head.

“Yes.” 

And then they’re kissing. It’s like nothing she’s ever experienced — takes her breath away, transports her somewhere she’s never been, makes her feel brand new. When she finally takes a breath, Rey lays her head against his shoulder, holding him close. 

“You know what,” she says, snuggling into him. “This place looks clean enough.”

Kylo shifts and forces her to look at him.

“What are you saying?”

Rey kisses her way up his neck to whisper in his ear. 

“Take me home.”

* * *

This is what she has always wanted, what she used to dream about, what she deserves. _This._ Someone who listens. Someone who pays attention. Someone who cares. 

The weight of Kylo atop her is heavenly. Rey is born again, created and made new. She feels safe and held and loved as he fucks her faster, as he whispers her name and moans against her shoulder.

Rey blinks away happy tears as he kisses her again and again, as he thrusts and grunts and groans into her. Kylo forms a steady rhythm, stretching her as if he is molding her to him. As if she is a cast of his body that he is creating, as if she is a part of him. Oh, she wants that so badly. To be a part of him. To have him, forever. 

“You have me,” he whispers, as if reading her mind. “You have me always.”

“Oh— _oh_ , fuck. _Kylo_ ,” Rey groans, tilting her hips upwards to ensure that he keeps hitting that perfect spot inside her. 

But at the sound of his name, Kylo stills. He grabs her hips so tight she knows it’ll bruise, looks at her like she is all he will ever have, all he will ever want. 

“ _Yes_ ,” he gasps, voice rough, as he continues to fuck her hard into his mattress. “That’s right, baby. Say it again.”

Rey trembles, legs jerking as she writhes beneath him.

“Who’s making you come?” He asks roughly, staring into her soul.

“You,” Rey breathes.

He groans, furrowing his brows slightly and widening his mouth. 

“My name, Rey,” he pleads, voice broken. “Say my name again. Who’s making you come?” 

Rey gasps as he drives impossibly deeper. 

“Kylo,” Rey whimpers. _“Kylo.”_

He comes instantly, hips jerking as he shoots stream after stream of his cum inside, filling her to the absolute brim. Filling her until it overflows, until it leaks onto the sheets beneath them. He breathes heavy into her shoulder, every single exhale laced with satisfied moans that make Rey clench even tighter around his pulsing length, bringing her to her own mind-bending release.

He continues to rock into her as he softens, refusing to let up, refusing to let this end. 

“That’s right, baby,” he says, kissing her sweetly. “That’s right.”

* * *

“Kylo?” Rey asks late in the night.

“Mhm?” he says sleepily, tightening his grip around her waist. 

“What did you do with that drink I gave you the day we met? You couldn’t have liked it. That thing had three shots of espresso in it. And _no_ sweetener.”

Kylo snorts.

“Oh, yeah, that tasted like shit. I poured it on a bush outside.” 

Rey laughs, twisting her body to face him. Kylo nestles himself against her, pressing kisses into the skin of her neck.

“But now you know. Marshmallow and vanilla lattes from now on.” 

“Yeah,” she smiles. “Now I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we are nearing the end y'all 🥺
> 
> Thanks for reading! If you liked this, let me know — it definitely motivates me to write faster 💕💕💕

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [Tumblr!](https://reylonly.tumblr.com/)


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